1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a method and apparatus for controlling a web browser from redirecting a client computer to another web site during a browsing session. The present invention is most preferably a web browser comprising known program source code which provides a user additional controls when browsing a web site.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet, particularly the World Wide Web, has become a mainstream form of entertainment for many users of client computers who have access through web browsers. Web browsers consist of software that runs on the client computer to display information from the Web on the client computer by interpreting the hypertext markup language (HTML) that is used to build homepages on the Web. Web browsing sessions may lead a user to a screen having multiple windows representing browsing sessions within a browsing session. There can be a chain of web sites that users are directed to automatically without asking for their permission with a click of a mouse. Each web site has a unique identifier known as a uniform resource locator (URL). The URL indicates where the host server is located, the location of the web site on the host, the name of the home page, and the file type of the document being requested by the client computer.
Current web browsers have the capability to redirect users to other web sites when the user selects a xe2x80x9cclosexe2x80x9d function by attempting to terminate a browsing session by closing a window. This can be an annoying situation for the web browser user. Likewise, when a user engages the xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d function, the web browser may also be used to redirect the client to a another web site, usually a web site accessed previously. By controlling this redirection function of the web browser when the user engages the xe2x80x9cclosexe2x80x9d function, a user gains greater control over their web browsing sessions. By preventing redirection when the user engages the xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d function, there is greater privacy when a single client computer is being shared by many users. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a web browser having greater redirection control than typical web browsers.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for controlling the redirection capabilities of a web browser.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a computer program product which may be used in conjunction with an existing web browser which prevents redirection of the client computer when a xe2x80x9cclosexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d function is selected by a user.
A further object of the invention is to provide a web browser with enhanced user controls which prevents redirection of a client computer.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The above and other objects and advantages, which will be apparent to one of skill in the art, are achieved in the present invention which is directed to, in a first aspect, a method of controlling a web browser by which a user views a window, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining whether the web browser may open a subsequent window after a first window is closed; (b) preventing the web browser from opening the subsequent window when a request to open the subsequent window is received when a selection is made in step (a) that the web browser may not open the subsequent window; and (c) allowing the web browser to open the subsequent window when a request to open the subsequent window is received when a selection is made in step (a) that the web browser may open the subsequent window.
Preferably, step (a) further includes providing a web browser start indicator wherein the indicator is engaged to prevent the web browser from opening a subsequent window. Alternatively, step (a) further includes providing a web browser start indicator wherein the indicator is disengaged to allow the web browser to open a subsequent window.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of controlling redirection of a client computer to another uniform resource locator by a web browser stored on the client computer, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a web browser start indicator; (b) selecting whether the web browser may open a subsequent window when a user activates or deactivates the web browser start indicator; (c) preventing the web browser from opening a subsequent window when the user activates the web browser start indicator; and (d) allowing the web browser to open a subsequent window when the user has deactivated the web browser start indicator.
Preferably, in step (a) the web browser start indicator determines whether the web browser will prevent or allow redirection of the client computer to a different uniform resource locator from a uniform resource locator being currently viewed by the client computer. Preferably, in step (c) the web browser is prevented from opening a subsequent window when the user selects a xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d function on the web browser to return to a previously accessed uniform resource locator. Furthermore, in step (c) the web browser is prevented from opening a subsequent window when the user selects a xe2x80x9cclosexe2x80x9d function on the web browser. Preferably, in step (d) the web browser is allowed to open a subsequent window when the user selects a xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d function on the web browser and redirection is permitted to a previously viewed uniform resource locator. Furthermore, in step (d) the web browser is allowed to open a subsequent window when the user selects a xe2x80x9cclosexe2x80x9d function on the web browser and redirection is permitted to another uniform resource locator.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of preventing redirection of a client computer engaging a web browser when a user is viewing a current web site during a browsing session, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a web browser start indicator for controlling redirection of the client computer to another web site; (b) activating the web browser start indicator; and (c) preventing the web browser from redirecting the client computer to the another web site when the user discontinues viewing the current web site.
Preferably, in step (c) the user discontinues viewing the current web site by closing the browsing session. Alternatively, in step (c) the user discontinues viewing the current web site by engaging a xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d function of the web browser to access a previously viewed web site.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of browsing a web site on a client computer comprising the steps of: (a) providing a web browser having a web browser start indicator, the web browser stored on the client computer; (b) engaging the web browser to access a web site by locating a desired uniform resource locator of the web site; (c) viewing one or more web sites such that more than one browser session is open; (d) activating the web browser start indicator; and (e) preventing the web browser from redirecting the client computer to another web site when an open browser session is terminated.
Preferably, step (e) comprises preventing the web browser from redirecting the client computer to another web site when a user terminates an open browser session by closing a window for viewing the browser session. Alternatively, step (e) may comprise preventing the web browser from redirecting the client computer to another web site when a user terminates an open browser session by engaging a xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d function of the web browser for viewing a previous web site during the browser session.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a web browser stored on a client computer for viewing web sites during a browsing session comprising a means for accessing one or more web sites during the browsing session; and a web browser start indicator to control redirection to another web site when terminating a currently viewed web site during the browsing session.
Preferably, the web browser start indicator is activated to prevent redirection to another web site when terminating a currently viewed web site during the browsing session. Alternatively, the web browser start indicator is deactivated to allow redirection to another web site when terminating a currently viewed web site during the browsing session.
In still yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for controlling a web browser by which a user views a window, the method steps comprising (a) determining whether the web browser may open a subsequent window after a first window is closed; (b) preventing the web browser from opening the subsequent window when a request to open the subsequent window is received when a selection is made in step (a) that the web browser may not open the subsequent window; and (c) allowing the web browser to open the subsequent window when a request to open the subsequent window is received when a selection is made in step (a) that the web browser may open the subsequent window.
In a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for controlling the redirection of a client computer to another uniform resource locator, the method steps comprising (a) altering a web browser start indicator; (b) preventing a web browser from opening a subsequent window when the web browser start indicator is activated; and (c) allowing a web browser to open a subsequent window when the web browser start indicator is deactivated.
In a still further aspect, the present invention is directed to a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for preventing redirection of a client computer engaging a web browser when displaying a current web site during a browsing session, the method steps comprising (a) determining a status of a web browser start indicator; (b) displaying a document at a uniform resource locator; (c) receiving an instruction to discontinue displaying the current web site; and (d) preventing redirection of the client computer to another web site when the web browser start indicator is activated.
In a still further aspect, the present invention to a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for browsing a web site from a client computer, the method steps comprising (a) engaging a web browser having a web browser start indicator; (b) accessing a web site; (c) displaying one or more web sites such that more than one browser session is displayed; (d) altering the web browser start indicator; and (e) preventing redirection of the client computer to another web site when an open browser session is terminated.
In still yet a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium for controlling a web browser by which a user views a window, the computer program product including a computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine whether the web browser may open a subsequent window after a first window is closed; a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to prevent the web browser from opening the subsequent window when a request to open the subsequent window is received when a selection is made by a user that the web browser may not open the subsequent window; and a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to allow the web browser to open the subsequent window when a selection is made by a user that the web browser may open the subsequent window.
In a still further aspect, the present invention is directed to a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium for controlling redirection of a client computer to another uniform resource locator by a web browser having a web browser start indicator, the computer program product including a computer readable program code means for causing a computer to alter the web browser start indicator; a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to prevent the web browser from opening a subsequent window when the web browser start indicator is activated; and a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to allow the web browser to open a subsequent window when the web browser start indicator is deactivated.
In still yet a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium for causing a computer to prevent redirection of a client computer engaging a web browser when a client computer is displaying a current web site during a browsing session, the computer program product including: a computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine a status of a web start indicator for controlling redirection of the client computer to another web site; a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive an instruction to discontinue displaying the current web site; and a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to prevent the web browser from redirecting the client computer to the another web site when the current web site is no longer displayed.
In a final aspect, the present invention is directed to a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium for browsing a web site, the computer program product including a computer readable program code means for causing a computer to access a web site locating a desired uniform resource locator of the web site; a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to display one or more web sites such that more than one browser session is open; a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to alter a web browser start indicator; a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to determine the status of the web browser start indicator, and a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to prevent the web browser from redirecting the computer to another web site when an open browser session is terminated.